Technical Field
The present disclosure technically relates to buoys. Particularly, the present disclosure technically relates to buoy systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure technically relates to buoy systems and methods for performing measurements.
Description of Related Art
In the related art, bioluminescence involves light being generated by a chemical reaction within an organism, such as a marine organism, wherein chemical energy is converted into light energy. The chemical that produces the light is luciferin, which the organism acquires by diet or by internal synthesis. A chemical known as luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin to produce the light. Examples of marine organisms that evince bioluminescence include dinoflagellates and zooplankton. Dinoflagellate “blooms,” i.e., population congregations having a high density such that the congregations discolor a marine environment, e.g., a red bloom or a brown bloom forming a “red tide,” have been observed to degrade fluid quality and produce toxins harmful to other marine organisms. Such toxins can even affect humans, such as by paralytic shellfish poisoning. Bioluminescence diminishes in the presence of toxic chemicals. However, a related art challenge includes further effectively sensing bioluminescence to detect toxins in marine environments or any body of water, such as oceans, seas, lakes, ponds, sloughs, rivers, canals, streams, creeks, dams, and the like.
Additionally, studying bioluminescence over an extended period of time to determine the manner in which the populations of bioluminescent organisms vary over time has been performed in the related art. Determining the manner in which populations of bioluminescent organisms vary with respect to changes in fluid temperature and fluid clarity has also been performed. While some related art oceanographic studies have focused on the distribution of bioluminescence in the marine environment, a further understanding of the seasonal characteristics thereof remains. Related art studies have been limited in duration, e.g., usually less than one or two years with long intervals between sets of measurements, as well as in developing any useful methods for actually quantifying bioluminescence. Another challenge in the related art is further improving the quantification of marine bioluminescence over time and with respect to fluid temperature and clarity.
Further, some related art techniques involve tethering a device to a vehicle for gathering data and powering the device by way of power onboard the vehicle. Further, some related art biobuoys involve the use of a photomultiplier. Another challenge in the related art is reducing the size of a device and reducing the number of persons to manually assist in the deployment thereof. The related art has also experienced challenges, such as further effectively sensing bioluminescence to detect toxins in marine environments or any body of water, such as oceans, seas, lakes, ponds, sloughs, rivers, canals, streams, creeks, dams, and the like, as well as an absence of a suitable device for autonomously conducting extended duration marine studies of bioluminescence.
Therefore, a need exists to develop systems and methods that improve effectively sensing bioluminescence to detect toxins in marine environments or any body of fluid and that autonomously conduct extended duration marine studies of bioluminescence.